The voices were screaming again. The fire was claiming my body. I was screaming in pain and sorrow for a mate that was nowhere. His scent lingered on my body and it was my drug. The drug that I knew would destroy me. I writhed in pain and clutched onto the already melted ice pack. I was hot, so hot I could feel the fire burning its way to my soul, leaving dust and lust in its wake.
Beyond the heat and voices I wanted my mate. I wanted his love and respect, two things I could never get. My door was opened by a platinum haired boy I knew to be Logan. He sat quietly and only breathed through his mouth, forcing himself not to inhale the mating hormones I was giving off. I screamed in pain, causing him to wince. "Jenna is gonna try to leave you in the lake to cool you off. But you need to go to the pack doctor, it's not normal for you to be this hot."
I cried out when images flashed through my head.
Vincenzo kissing Piper fiercely, with emotion in his eyes.
Piper crying as Vincenzo consoled her, a pregnancy test on the ground.
My mate smiling when he felt his pup kick.
For some reason, the last one hit me the hardest. It was supposed to be his pup in my belly. Not some girl he met after me. I went sick with my thoughts. The voices whispered to me, telling me to rip the pup out of her stomach. They told me to slit her throat and take my male as it should be. What scared me the most was that I wanted to.
I wanted my mate and a life. I wanted a family. I wanted forever. I went sick with the thought that I couldn't have it. For how does one have forever from something that will never. The voices whispered and screamed louder and louder, drowning out the pain and just leaving insanity. I shoved Logan out of the way and stormed to Titus. "Where is your mate?" I snarled.
He growled at me, "Learning how to submit."
"Katerina's a witch, not a wolf, Titus. I need her help." I let out a gasp of pain.
Titus shook his head, "My mate isn't allowed to speak to anyone unless she submits."
I stormed past him and went to his room, kicking down the fixed door. "Katerina! Take the voices away."
The witch stared up at me defiantly, "No, I don't know what's happening to you. But I can make it so that they only speak when they can break through your mind's defenses."
~
Jenna carefully pushed me into the lake, hissing when my hot skin hit her's. "Goddess you're boiling, Araceli."
I sighed in relief when the winter lake cooled me. Then it began to steam and boil, becoming scorching hot. I quickly threw myself out, melting the snow when it touched my skin. "Call Vincenzo." I whimpered.
Jenna came back quickly, "He's not coming." she whispered.
I was drenched in sweat, even in the freezing weather. "Call Axel." I murmured.
Jenna arrived with Axel. He grimaced and picked me up. I hissed in relief when the male's touch brought minor relief. He was not my mate and therefore could not satisfy, but I'd take what I could get. He snorted, "Don't tell Astrid about this, I'm trying to win her over."
I spoke through the pain, "The douche-bag Alpha attempts to win back his rejected mate all while the desperate slut stands on the sidelines, bitching her sorrows. You're sickeningly cliche."
He smiled, "I'm trying to change. For her."
"I don't think this is what mates are." I murmured hazily. "Trying and expecting each other to change to suit the other's needs. That is not eternal love. That's just two people unable to fight the mate bond and calling it 'bringing out the best in each other'."
He smiled, "Yes, but then you have the lucky ones. The ones so truly and madly in love they died for each other."
I hummed in reply. He continued, "When I was a pup my mother used to tell me stories of superior wolves. Canus, she called them."
"That's nice." I muttered, falling asleep in his arms